All About 7.5x55 Swiss
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy wanted to talk about the 7.5x55 Swiss cartridge today. This is a historic round that has captivated generations of shooters and proven itself to be accurate and effective. Users of all types have utilized this cartridge in both the United States and Europe. Our goal with this blog post is to provide a brief overview of the cartridge while delving into some of the features and traits of the round. Without further ado, let’s cover the 7.5x55 Swiss.
What is 7.5x55 Swiss?
The 7.5x55mm, commonly called the 7.5x55 Swiss, is an iconic 20
th century military cartridge. Originally derived from the Swiss 7.5x53.5mm Gewehrpatrone 1890 cartridge, the 7.5x55 Swiss cartridge was introduced in 1911. The Gewehrpatrone 11, or GP11 cartridge featured a Spitzer cartridge and is capable of a high degree of accuracy and velocity. In Swiss military usage, the cartridge saw widespread use from 1911 to the early 1990’s in mainline service. The cartridge still sees some use with reservists in the Swiss Army as far as military usage goes. The cartridge has been utilized in bolt action rifles, battle rifles, and even machine guns like the MG 11. Aside from its military service, the cartridge has been a favorite among match shooters and hunters due to its accuracy and performance.
Is 7.5x55 Swiss Interchangeable With Any Other Cartridge?
The 7.5x55 Swiss is a unique cartridge which does not have any cross-compatibility with other cartridges. The cartridge does bear some similarities to the 7.5x54mm French cartridge. There have been some examples in the past with cartridges which can be used interchangeably in appropriate firearms. A common example is the fact that a firearm chambered in
.357 Magnum can also accommodate
.38 Special ammunition. A more pertinent military caliber example is evident with the fact that firearms chambered in
7.62x25 Tokarev are able to accommodate 7.63x25 Mauser
ammunition. While the 7.5x54 French cartridge is slightly smaller than the 7.5x55 Swiss, the two cartridges are not interchangeable. Simply put, firearms in either of these calibers should only be loaded with
ammunition corresponding to their respective chambering.
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What is the Availability of 7.5x55 Swiss Ammunition?
Currently, the 7.5x55 Swiss cartridge is decently available. There are a number of companies who produce the cartridge and there is still a fair amount of surplus GP11
ammunition on the market. Most of the companies who manufacture loadings in this caliber are located in Europe as the cartridge is more popular there than the United States. Companies such as
Sellier & Bellot,
PPU, and Graf & Sons (
Hornady) to name a few.
As mentioned earlier, the cartridge is more popular in Europe than the United States. This means that the round is not as common as American mainstays like the
6.5 Creedmoor,
.30-06 Springfield, and
.308 Winchester. These three aforementioned rounds can easily be found at most places where
ammunition is sold. Finding 7.5x55 Swiss on a shelf in the United States will be quite a bit harder but not impossible. If one wishes to acquire this cartridge, they may need to check places like gun shows for surplus loads or order
ammunition online.
All in all, one will be able to find 7.5x55 Swiss
ammunition if they truly want to. It is not particularly elusive by any means; shooters will just need to look a bit harder to find loadings.
What is the Availability of Firearms Chambered in 7.5x55 Swiss?
Most of the firearms chambered in 7.5x55 Swiss will be in the form of military surplus rifles or parts kit builds. Some of the most common examples one will find as far as military surplus rifles go are straight pull rifles of the Swiss variety such as the Model 1896/11 and K31 rifles. Parts kits and some pre-ban import examples of STG-57/SG 510 rifles some of the prominent autoloading rifles found in the caliber. In the past, companies such as CZ and even Ruger have offered bolt action hunting rifles chambered in the 7.5x55 Swiss. One will have an easier time encountering surplus rifles or parts kits that accommodate the caliber over scarce modern production offerings.
At the end of the day, one will be able to find a firearm in this caliber if they truly want one. Options are decidedly more limited than modern and more contemporary surplus options, but they are available nonetheless. This is just the nature of the beast when it comes to more obscure military caliber rifles and surplus firearms in general.
Is 7.5x55 Swiss Ammunition Corrosive?
In stark contrast to most other surplus
ammunition offerings, surplus 7.5x55 Swiss
ammunition will not be corrosive. Even though the GP11 loadings utilize Berdan primers, these loadings are not corrosive. While many corrosive
ammunition offerings from the 20
th century utilize Berdan primers, there are certainly noncorrosive loadings which use these types of primers. Modern production 7.5x55 Swiss loadings will also not be corrosive. Simply put, with the
ammunition on the market, both surplus and modern production, a shooter will not need to worry about getting corrosive 7.5x55 Swiss.
Is 7.5x55 Swiss Ammunition Steel Cased?
Further setting itself apart from other surplus
ammunition, surplus 7.5x55 Swiss loadings lack steel casings. Typically, countries in Eastern European countries would utilize steel casings in their loadings. This was a common practice during the Cold War which helped cut down the cost of
ammunition production. Modern loadings will feature brass casings and are made by reputable and consistent companies.
Can You Reload 7.5x55 Swiss Ammunition?
Due to the use of brass casings, reloaders will find that 7.5x55 Swiss loadings are friendly to reloaders. Brass casings are much easier to work with and more cost effective to reload than steel casings. Steel casings are typically very hard on reloading equipment and can lead to breakage and excessive wear. Casings are becoming more common due to the fact modern production loadings are available. PPU particularly produces new brass which can be used by reloaders to keep their supply of 7.5x55 Swiss stocked.
The surplus GP11
ammunition utilizes Berdan primers, a feature which complicates reloading efforts. Berdan primers lack a common sizing specification like Boxer primers do. While the Swiss
ammunition utilizing Berdan primers may be consistent among themselves, Berdan primers as a whole lack consistent sizing. This impacts compatibility with commercial primer offerings and may require some elbow grease to be reloaded with modern components. Modern loadings will typically feature Boxer primers, making life easier for reloaders.
At the end of the day, one will be able to effectively reload 7.5x55 Swiss
ammunition. While the cartridge and its components are not as common as they are in Europe, American based reloaders can still practically reload the cartridge.
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What Do You Use 7.5x55 Swiss For?
The 7.5x55 Swiss cartridge has been utilized for a variety of purposes. The cartridge has often been utilized for target shooting and hunting applications. Vintage service rifle matches will typically feature some form of Swiss straight pull bolt action rifle chambered in the 7.5x55 Swiss. The near match grade performance of GP11
ammunition has made it a favorite among shooters in both competitive and casual usage. As far as a hunting cartridge, the 7.5x55 Swiss is capable of dispatching medium-sized game ethically and humanely. The effectiveness of the cartridge is increased by the presence of modern hunting loads which are optimized for hunting use.
Conclusion
All in all, the 7.5x55 Swiss has stood the test of time and continues to be a favorite among shooters even today. Shooters from many generations have sworn by the round and have used it for things such as competition and hunting uses. Like many military calibers, the 7.5x55 Swiss and firearms in the caliber are here to stay. We here at True Shot Ammo offer surplus and modern production loadings for a variety of military calibers, both American and foreign. Whether you are after a vintage rifle cartridge or something modern or contemporary, we have got you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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